England opener Jason Roy set to make red-ball comeback for Surrey

England’s World Cup-winning opener Jason Roy is set to make a surprise return to red-ball cricket after being named in Surrey’s squad to face Warwickshire in the County Championship Division One at Edgbaston from Friday, May 9.

Roy, who is known for his fearless batting approach and ability to score briskly in the white-ball formats, has played 87 First-Class matches, scoring 4,850 runs at an average of 36.46 and a strike rate of 80.75. He has also represented England in five Tests, scoring 187 runs. The last time he appeared in a red-ball fixture was a one-off Bob Willis Trophy appearance for Surrey against Hampshire in the Covid-marred summer of 2020. He registered scores of 4 and 14 in that encounter.

His return to the format comes on the backdrop of Surrey looking to fill the void created by the absence of the club’s ECB-contracted batters, Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith, who are rested for this fixture alongside Gus Atkinson ahead of the forthcoming Test against Zimbabwe later this month.

Roy’s availability also highlights his dwindling demand in the global T20 arena. He played a significant role in England’s white-ball revolution post the 2015 ODI World Cup. However, he wasn’t picked by the selectors in the Three Lions’ title defence in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. The right-handed batter didn’t find a team at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction after withdrawing for personal reasons on three occasions in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

The 34-year-old has not played an international match since March 2023 against Bangladesh in Chattogram. He will look to rediscover his old form and stake a claim for a recall to the England lineup.

Three-time County Champions Surrey find themselves at No. 3 in the Division One table – six points behind second-placed Warwickshire and ten points afar from table-toppers Nottinghamshire. However, they would be buzzing with confidence after recording a three-day win over Somerset at the Kia Oval. Arrival of overseas stars like Nathan Smith and Kurtis Patterson has bolstered their side. Meanwhile, Tom Lawes also returns to the contingent for the first time this season.

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